1940-1945

Miami Master Airport is sacrificed to wartime needs

Origins of the Miami Master Airport idea

The project that came to be known as the Miami Master Airport was originally conceived as the result of a conversation between Eastern Air Lines’ president Eddie Rickenbacker and Miami Commissioner Alexander Orr in 1936. Rickenbacker asked Orr to push for a large municipal airport that could provide facilities for EAL.

Laying the groundwork – planning and design

Fast forward to 1940, and preliminary groundwork for the airport had begun on 885 acres acquired from Glenn H. Curtiss Properties in Opa Locka (see image). It was to cost $6m, with $4m to be provided from federal funds appropriated for development of civilian airports for national defense purposes. Special laws were passed to allow the balance of $2 million to be financed through contributions from the County and the City of Miami and other local municipalities.

The runways were to be among the longest in the Americas. When completed, it was scheduled to have 8 parallel runways in all four directions and diagonals. The two longest would be 7756 each (1.5 miles each). The two shortest runways would be 5472 feet (over a mile). Then there would be two north and two south runways, each 5934 feet long, plus 2 diagonals 6608 feet each. Eastern, Pan Am, and National would lease space. Each of the airlines provided input as to what should be built, along with government officials, architects, engineers and technicians.

The approach to the airport was to feature a beautiful reflecting pool and the flags of 21 American republics. It was to include observation decks, reading rooms, restrooms, departure lounges, bars and restaurants. “Small charges to eliminate the rabble” (per the Miami News) were being considered. Zoning laws were passed to prohibit anything as crass as barbecue joints or bars in the immediate vicinity. The upper floors of the main building were to house administrative offices, a weather bureau, and CAA offices. The control tower was to have an unobstructed view of the old field (All-American Field) and even of the Opa Locka Navy base. The architectural design was to be modern and harmonious. Simply put, it was going to be the most splendid airport in the Americas, a jewel in Miami’s crown.

Financial hurdles and federal hesitation

The problem was finding the money to build it. Though the runways were being laid and the groundwork was progressing per the scheduled timeline, the money for the buildings was still not in place. Government funding was contingent upon either the Army or the Navy (or both) endorsing the project. And the Army and Navy were being very cagey. The Army claimed that Miami was a Navy town. The Navy objected on the grounds that the plans for the airport were too “ambitious.” City Commissioners beat a well-worn path back and forth to Washington for endless talks. The newspapers followed each twist and turn closely. It was a project of paramount importance for Miami and its place in aviation. Hopes rose and fell with every new development in the negotiations.

America’s first airport revenue bonds

Then, in January 1941, city and county officials announced that money would be raised for the buildings through a public offering of $2.75 million in airport revenue bonds, with Smith Barney to handle the offering. It was to be the nation’s first offering of airport bonds only to be backed by future airport revenues. But before the bonds could be sold, the leases of the three airlines involved — Pan Am, Eastern and National — needed to be secured. The airlines were asked to finalize their requirements. All three complied. Agreement was reached by May 22 that the airlines would be granted 30-year leases. EAL would build its own $600k hangar. PAA and National would lease city-owned/built hangars. It looked like everything had finally fallen into place.

Surprise proposal throws project into turmoil

And then — a bombshell. In June, three representatives from the U.S. Navy showed up at a special meeting convened by the Miami City Commission. One of them had flown down from Washington to attend. After about ten minutes of everyone sitting around the table twiddling their thumbs, one of the commissioners, R. C. Gardner, finally spoke up. He announced that he had approached the Navy with an offer to sell it the Master Airport, if it should need it. He claimed that he hoped to raise enough money through the sale to build a new airport on Virginia Key. The Navy officers had come to the meeting under the impression that the offer had been officially sanctioned by the entire Commission when in fact the rest of the Commission was ostensibly hearing about it for the first time (afterwards, Commissioner Gardner revealed that he had shared his plans with Mayor Reeder and another Commissioner). As a reason for his offer, Commissioner Gardner cited the proximity of the Master Airport and the Navy’s Opa Locka base — only one and 3/8ths of a mile separated the two airfields at their closest point. He claimed it endangered the commercial activities at the Master Airport though previously the city had been assured by airport engineers that there should be no need for conflict between the operations.

The meeting was inconclusive. The media lost no time in excoriating Commissioner Gardner and harshly criticizing the lack of unity on the Commission. It seemed inconceivable that the future of the Master Airport, so long awaited, and so close to finally moving forward, could be endangered.

Airlines reconsider commitments

But the airlines were shaken by the events. EAL came up with a new draft lease agreement that was considered far inferior to the one it had agreed to at the end of May. Pan Am was reported to be looking to buy a large piece of land west of its current holdings at Pan American Field, for expansion purposes.

Virginia Key proposal and final swap

On Sept 9, 1941, Mayor Reeder announced that a plan was being floated whereby the Navy would invest $15 million in a huge airplane base and port at Virginia Key in exchange for the Municipal Airport and Master Airport and additional land near the Opa Locka naval base. The Mayor told the Commissioners that the proximity of the Master Airport to the naval base constituted a hazard. On September 28th, the Commission approved the swap.

It took awhile longer and a few more twists and turns but on June 1, 1942, the Navy officially agreed to acquire the Master Airport, the Municipal Airport, and additional lands in between the two airfields and the Navy’s Opa Locka base for $1.2 million. The amount to be paid was described as “at cost,” and was earmarked for future airport development. On August 15, 1942 the Navy took possession of both airports.